5 Things – This Week in Staines

Four Wheel Drive is a band that exists to play live. They deliver what can only be described as a relentless onslaught of good time, balls out Rock ‘N’ Roll. Ben Austwick and Paddy Achtelik provide rhythm guitar interplay recalling Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards at their best; while Ben also hits you with incendiary, gut-wrenching, Blues-based lead guitar with the same sheer physical force of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Angus Young.

The rhythm section generates a force capable of knocking down walls, yet with enough control to retain the R’n’B feel of ’70s Aerosmith and Rolling Stones. The band have been clocked at close to 120 decibels in rehearsals, almost earning the Guitar Institute their first ASBO!

This musical force of nature is topped and led by Jamie’s vocals. Switching between a sleazy drawl reminiscent of Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler, and the ball-busting scream of Back in Black-era Brian Johnson, the vocals compliment both the Rhythm ‘n’ Blues and Rock elements of the band. Tightly rehearsed vocal harmonies add an extra dimension to the songs, giving the live performances the same depth as the recordings.

The songs have always been written with the live show in mind and the delivery is enough to get anybody’s mouth away from their pint. Four Wheel Drive is made up of a highly “driven” collection of individuals whose lives are designed around the band to make sure it is constantly moving forward. New material is always being written and they can, and do, play any night of the week.

Jamie and Ben’s mutual love of all things Rock ‘N’ Roll make them a well suited writing partnership. Above you will find a taster of the music they’ve written since graduating from The Institute in summer 2007. After finding guitarist Paddy Achtelik at the new Guitar Institute in Kilburn, and introducing extremely talented drummer Will Richards thanks to ACM in Guildford… The Band is ready… It’s Time To Go.

Noisy and fast, loud and fun, The Blow Ups are a four piece punk band from South West London with a memorable melodic edge. They are set apart from the rest of the punky contenders by lead singer Kelly. With an impressive stage presence and a powerful voice she dominates the songs and the stage. The songs are full of sharp observations about superheroes in rehab, c-list celebrity drop outs, alienation and abuse.

Just to let you know that Carl (drummer in Staines favourite band Foulplay) and his ravishing young assistant, Ravi (solo guitar and a local staines hero), will be playin’ dahn The Six Bells, 148 High Street, Brentford TW8 8EW on Sunday 10th August @ 9pm.

It’s a “proper” London boozer wiv a very friendly atmosphere and, more importantly, good beer!

So, cor blimey, Guv’nor, stike a light, better get yerselves dahn the “frog & toad” rahnd the “Johnny ‘orner” & into the “Rub a Dub” for a right old Cockerney “Knees up”.

If you miss Ravi and Carl at the Six Bells Brentford, catch up wiv ’em at:

The New Assassins are an American sounding rock band from Staines ( they like to call themselves ‘the elder statesmen of Staines- but they don’t seem to look as old as Ming Cambell to me!) and they play everything from experimental, punk, new wave to raw blues, rock to indie. I saw them play at The Hob, Staines last year.

Some of their material seems a bit experimental and improvised- yet tight enough that it does not stray into ‘jazz odyssey’ territory. If you take a pinch of PiL (Public Image Ltd) and then add a spoonful of psychedelia a lá The Verve with a dollop of post-punk juice like Joy Division you get close to the sound of the New Assassins.

In fact, the band look awfully similar to The Verve in appearance but seem less inclined to shoegaze and more inclined towards a more raucous and, to my mind, enjoyable rocky style more like The Black Crowes.

Lots of local landmarks feature in the new book by New Haw author Hag Hughes make this an entertaining read- just right for your summer reading list.

The plot of the story revolves around the World Endurance championship and features fun-loving Weybridge man Paul “Hazy” Hayes who spends most of his booze-fuelled time plotting wind-ups. Then during one of his pranks something goes horribly wrong and someone winds up dead. If you were a mate of Hazy’s would you help him dispose of the body and cover-up the evidence? We follow Hazy as he battles with friends, foes, lovers and his own conscience and attempts to hold his life and sanity together under the crumbling reality of divorce and self-destruction. Oh, and don’t forget the body in the boot of his car…

With references to lanmarks in Shepperton, Addlestone, Brooklands and Weybridge, this is a great book for any local reader.